TPMDC Morning Roundup

Obama Opposes Trade Penalties In Climate Bill
President Obama has come out against a provision of the climate-change bill that passed the House on Friday, which would impose tariffs on other countries that don't accept limits on pollution. "At a time when the economy worldwide is still deep in recession and we've seen a significant drop in global trade," Obama told reporters, "I think we have to be very careful about sending any protectionist signals out there."

Obama's Day Ahead
President Obama will meet one-on-one with President Alvaro Uribe of Colombia, at 2:15 p.m. ET, with an expanded meeting at 2:45 p.m. ET. At 4:25 p.m. ET, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will host a reception for LGBT Pride Month. At 7:15 p.m. ET, Obama will attend a reception for National Finance Committee members.

Biden's Day AheadVice President Biden will be in Wilmington, Delaware, spending the day with his family before his wife Dr. Jill Biden leaves for her trip to Europe. He does not have any scheduled public events.

Obama: I Understand Dems Who Voted Against Climate BillPresident Obama told reporters yesterday that he understands the 44 House Democrats who voted against the energy bill on Friday, saying that "those 44 Democrats are sensitive to the immediate political climate of uncertainty around this issue." He added: "They've got to run every two years, and I completely understand that."

Supreme Court To Rule On Firefighters CaseThe U.S. Supreme Court will be handing down its final rulings of the session today -- including a ruling in the New Haven firefighters case, for which conservatives have criticized Sonia Sotomayor. The case, which Sotomayor previously ruled on as part of a three-judge panel, involves the city of New Haven throwing out the results of a promotion test after members of minorities did not score as well.

Congress Members Lost Big In Real EstateRoll Call reports that members of Congress from both parties have lost a lot of money in the real estate crash. For example, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart said of a recent sale of a North Miami Beach condo: "We took a huge loss. We sold it for less than we owed."

Peter Schiff Polling For Possible Senate Run Against DoddCQ reports that financial commentator Peter Schiff is conducting polls in Connecticut, to test support for a potential run as a Republican for U.S. Senate against Democratic incumbent Chris Dodd in 2010. "We do think there's certainly room for the fiscally conservative, libertarian wing of the party to attract a lot of attention in the Northeast," said Schiff's brother Andrew.

Gay-Rights Activists See Politics Lagging Behind Cultural ShiftsThe New York Timesreports that gay-rights activists and politicians see a sharp change in cultural attitudes about gay rights -- with the political situation lagging behind. "America is changing more quickly than the government," said Linda Ketner, a gay Democrat who nearly unseated an incumbent Republican Congressman in South Carolina last year. "They are lagging behind the crowd. But if I remember my poli sci from college, isn't that the way it always works?"